Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 86 London Tea
"Sir, are you finding your stay in London satisfactory?"

Foreign Secretary Palmerston hosted Iranian Ambassador to the UK, Harandi, at his official residence. As an important West Asian country, the UK attaches great importance to its relationship with Iran, and of course, also to Iran's important role in preventing Russia from expanding southward.

"Thank you for your greetings. I have experienced the convenience brought by new technologies here, and everything here has broadened my horizons. I believe that your country will be able to spread these things to every corner of the world."

Palmerston was very pleased with these words; wasn't this a veiled suggestion that Britain should rule the world? "Thank you for your blessing, Your Excellency. The British Empire has the capability and the will to help all nations of the world enter a new era of civilization."

Harlandi felt that the British were getting a little too cocky. Did they really think so many countries in the world would listen to his commands?

But now he still praises Britain, saying they are pioneers of world civilization. Only then do they begin to formally discuss the content of their discussion.

"There are many other countries between our country and yours. I don't think your country has forgotten to spread civilization to them, has it?"

"Of course not, but these places involve other countries, and we need some long-term plans."

As he spoke, Palmerston took out a map of India and Iran and pointed to the places on it, saying to Harland.

"Ambassador, please look, this is between India and your country. There are hundreds of princely states and tribes within it. I believe that both countries should help them and lead the local people toward civilization."

Wow, that's quite something. They actually let Iran lead them into civilized society. Thinking about it carefully, these tribes are indeed tough nuts to crack; it would take Britain a lot of time and money to govern them one by one. It would be better to let Iran annex them, and then Britain could turn Iran into its own market.

"I hope that the border between the two countries can remain stable as it is now. Of course, Oman's entire northern coast of the Persian Gulf can be handed over to your country for administration."

It seems that Britain has offered a considerable amount to keep Iran in its confrontation with Russia, although a significant portion of it came from Oman and other countries. Nevertheless, it represents a substantial step forward.

At this point, Britain began to realize that it was not enough to directly rule the world on its own, so it began to adopt another form of rule: controlling the world's major transportation routes, exporting goods to the world, and influencing other countries through various means.

To maintain its position, Britain also needed to check and balance other nations, preventing any single power from becoming too dominant. Therefore, it supported Prussia during the Seven Years' War and formed an anti-French coalition during the Napoleonic Wars. In West Asia, it supported the Ottomans and Persia against Russia.

In India, the East India Company's rule became increasingly ineffective. Under the India Act of 1833, the East India Company transformed into a purely administrative body. It began further expansion in India, having largely controlled the Ganges River basin, but not the Indus River basin. Therefore, it needed Persian support.

Oman owns several ports in the northern Persian Gulf, including the port town of Gwadar. Furthermore, the status quo in Herat, Kandahar, and Kabul within Afghanistan is maintained, a bargaining chip that Harandi finds attractive.

"I hope your country will recognize our special interests in Bukhara, Khiva, and Kokand, and we are willing to recognize your country's dominance in India." Here, India refers not only to the India controlled by the East India Company, but also to the Indus River Valley and the Sikh Empire. This effectively confirmed that Persia would not do anything to India, and indirectly indicated that Persia's primary concern was currently countering Russia.

"Please rest assured, Ambassador, the British Empire is willing to guarantee your country's integrity. In addition, certain conveniences will be provided for study abroad and trade between the two countries."

Trade between Iran and Britain is growing rapidly, and the cabinet sees Iran as the most promising emerging market after the Ottoman Empire, so it generally agrees to Iran's requests.

Iran did not dare to ask for too much, only allowing Britain to recognize the three Central Asian Khanates as part of Iran's sphere of influence, while maintaining the status quo of division in Afghanistan. Iran also guaranteed that it would not have any undue ambitions toward India.

Furthermore, Britain is willing to provide Iran with an additional £550 million loan at an interest rate as low as 3.5%, with a longer repayment period. After all, Iran is a major client, so giving more isn't out of the question.

After bidding farewell to Harlandi, Palmerst returned to his residence, where he would pay closer attention to the revolutions taking place in Europe.

Now liberals have gained the upper hand, France is fighting between its own factions, Germany is discussing unification, and Sardinia and Austria are locked in a life-or-death struggle in the Apennines.

The poor crop yields in France have severely impacted the country's farmers, who make up three-quarters of the nation's workforce, leading to a sharp decline in consumption. Hundreds of thousands of rural residents have been forced to tighten their belts; the wool and cotton textile industries are on the verge of collapse. Industrial overproduction has resulted in the closure of numerous factories, particularly small and medium-sized ones that are highly susceptible to market fluctuations.

The surge in unemployment exacerbated rural poverty, leading many unemployed workers from small rural businesses to migrate to large cities in search of work. Thus, the economic crisis accelerated France's urbanization process, resulting in the rise of petty-bourgeois political power. Meanwhile, another figure emerged onto the French political stage—Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.

Charles-Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, head of the Napoleonic family, was the nephew of Napoleon I, Emperor of France. His parents served as King and Queen of the Kingdom of Holland, a puppet state, during Napoleon I's reign. In 1815, Napoleon I was defeated at Waterloo, the Bourbon dynasty was restored, and members of the Bonaparte dynasty were forced into exile. He grew up in Arnenberg, Thurgau, Switzerland, and was educated at a secondary school in Augsburg, Bavaria.

After reaching adulthood, he traveled to Italy and Spain, where he participated in several uprisings. After the death of Napoleon II, the son of Napoleon I, he became the head of the Napoleonic family, but due to French demands, he could only stay in England.

After the February Revolution, the July Monarchy was replaced by the Second French Republic, allowing Louis-Napoleon to return home. Upon his return, however, the Provisional Government deported him on trumped-up charges. In April, he returned again and was elected a councilor in Paris. He devoted little energy to political affairs and failed to impress his colleagues. Having spent most of his life abroad, Louis-Napoleon spoke French with a German accent.

At this critical juncture, French authorities ordered the closure of state-owned factories and mandated that all young workers aged 15 to 25 be enlisted in the army. This became the catalyst for the workers' uprising. The original purpose of establishing state-owned factories was to provide jobs and a minimum source of income for the unemployed. This sparked extreme discontent among the workers. Subsequently, the workers launched an armed uprising. A day later, the insurgents controlled the suburbs of Paris and parts of the city.

Subsequently, General Kafinjak, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, led the National Guard to suppress the uprising. Within two days, the insurgents' last stronghold was captured, and the uprising failed. More than 10,000 people were killed or wounded, and over 4000 were exiled to Algeria. Although successfully suppressed, the uprising damaged Kafinjak's image, and it is estimated that the year-end elections will be affected.

(End of this chapter)